In Volume One of the Crimson Shadow series, young Luthien Bedwyr rebelled against the vicious rule of Wizard-King Greensparrow and his cruel wizard-lords. In Volume Two, he made use of a magical cape that renders its wearer invisible except for a lingering crimson silhouette. Now, the evil Greensparrow is back - and with a vengeance. Using dark, hideous magic, Greensparrow has taken the form of a massive dragon - a virtually unstoppable force that only Luthien can defeat.

While with Cacophony, Marty Friedman completed this solo album, an intense classical/speed metal instrumental full of complicated changes, impressive solo work, and incredible drumming by Deen Castronovo (Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, Bad English). The heaviest of Marty's solo CD's, this is an exciting collectable for fans of Marty's guitar work with Megadeth and Cacophony.

Nineteen distinctly different, atmospheric tales by modern-day fantasy writers, the likes of Garth Nix, Harry Turtledove, Bruce Coville, Tanith Lee, and Mary Rosenblum, make this a treasure trove for fantasy fans, especially dragon lovers. Cecelia Holland weighs in with a heroine reminiscent of Scheherazade, but here, it’s a dragon demanding the stories. In Jonathan Stroud’s “Bob Choi’s Last Job,” a dragon hunter comes up against a voracious shape-shifter. Liz Williams offers a mannered story in which a mage, summoned to vanquish a worm, encounters the unexpected… All in all, an enticing collection for genre fans. –Sally Estes